Inner Planet Transits Mark May, 2015 – “One, Two, Three, Glide”

The Tower is Mars' tarot association, seen here
in the amazing must-have deck, "OSHO Zen
Tarot"© by Deva Padma

Just as Venus settled comfortably into her transit through Cancer, warrior Mars joined Mercury on a glide through Gemini. Okay, there could be a hiccup or two amongst all that gliding. Mercury Retrograde begins on May18th (The anniversary of the Mount St. Helens eruption – hmmmm) and a formidable conjunction of these two planets occurs during the end of the month. Still, all in all, May’s astrology is a well-timed waltz. All you’ve got to do is stay focused on the beat.

Venus transits Cancer until June 4th and when she dances in these particular waters Venus becomes a hopeful romantic. Unfortunately her insecurities also rise to the surface and she requires a more demonstrative affection from a partner. People who have Venus in Cancer prominently in their birth chart, or who were born under the sign of Cancer may desire to become homebodies this month, creating security by staying close to their favorite things and people. Closeness is fine, just avoid turning into a clinging vine. Your partner might not feel the same urge to hunker down as you do and that really is okay. 

While Venus says, “Let’s stay together – a lot,”  Mars in

The Empress represents Venus and
Kris Waldherr delivers amazing archetypes
in her stunning deck, "The Goddess Tarot"©

Gemini wants to be in the thick of the action. The Martian mind in Gemini thinks quickly and grasps new concepts using rapid-fire intellect. Have you been feeling particularly witty lately, your conversation sprinkled with quotable quips and snappy comebacks? Thats Mars in Gemini hard at work with Mercury, the planet of communications.

Mercury and Mars form a powerful partnership to harness both intellect and action in Gemini this month.  Sure we have Mercury Retrograde (see blogs: "Mercury retrograde, Tarot and You"; "Ramping Up For Retrograde"  ) May 18th through June 11th, but stick to your retrograde rules and you’ll be fine. Mars will also help with that fuzzy-brained effect that often accompanies MR. Think and most importantly re-think before speaking and acting and you’ll do great. Remember that MR is a chance for us to regroup, to rethink and rework projects.  Writer’s love MR because we don’t have to produce large amounts of original work, just simply rewrite a current project. (Sure, try telling that one to your editor. Deadline? What’s that?) Don’t be surprised, however, by a dynamic burst of creativity.

Mercury's tarot association from
Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen's
wonderful, "Wizard's Tarot"© -
a personal favorite of mine.

The trickiest part of May falls during the 25th through the 30th. This is the period when Mars and Mercury are closest in Gemini. They go conjunct (same place, same time) on May 27th.  Watch out for the tendency to blurt things out before you’ve considered the ramifications of totally free speech. You do want to have some friends left at the end of the month and tact is your best friend come May 27th. Refreshing honesty needs to not only be placed in the back seat, but would be better left standing on the curb. 

We have a lot of astrological gifts this month and if you find the tempo and stay focused on the moment, you’ll we gliding across May’s ballroom and into a fabulous summer before you know it.

LADY ORACLE


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"A Void Is A Void, of Course of Course" ( Apologies to "Mr. Ed") or "Slipping Into The Moon's, Void of Course"

Our moon completes one revolution around the Earth every

twenty-nine days, twelve hours, forty-three minutes and roughly 11 seconds.  During her monthly journey, our lady also travels through the twelve signs of the Zodiac and graciously presents herself to the planets she meets along the way.  When the moon and planets meet in the same sign, their angular interface is known in astrological terms as an 'aspect.'  The type of aspect they share, like any angle, is measured in degrees and seconds.  Once Lady Moon has met and passed all the planets within a given sign, we say that the moon is 'Void of Course' and that there will be no further influences from her until she enters another sign with new planets. When the moon is Void of Course, or, VoC, there is a brief pause in the breath of the Universe and you should, be all means, honor that pause.

It takes the moon approximately 2 1/2 days to enter and leave a sign in the Zodiac.  Consequentially, VoC periods occur about every 2 1/2 days.  These voids can last a few moments, several hours and occasionally, for the entire 2 1/2 day cycle.  That means we experience roughly twelve to thirteen VoC moons in a month.  We often sleep right through them as they can also occur in the middle of the night.  There is some debate amongst astrologers as to how many planets should be included in the calculation for lunar voids, as well as what particular aspects should be considered.  (See the basic aspect table below)  Some astrologers favour Ptolemy's ancient system, while others wish to include more newly discovered bodies like Pluto and Charron.  I'm not convinced that it really matters.

The truly remarkable thing about a lunar VoC is that the Universe, in its wisdom, has created time and space for inconsequential drifting.  You'll hear the usual warnings about starting new ventures, unexpected results, etc.  Wiccan's and magician's won't normally try spell work during a VoC.   Regardless of all of that, during a VoC you have the Universe's permission...no, assertion that it's right and proper to slow down and simply enjoy the state of being.  You might feel a little aimless, slightly ungrounded as if life has an unreal quality to it.  Not really a surprise.  Reality as we perceive it is, after all,  is merely an illusion.

It's suggested that we use the minutes, hours and days of VoC to connect to ourselves, to promote our spiritual growth.  A hike in the woods, good music, a deck of tarot cards - whatever it is that helps you connect to your higher self.  During  VoC periods meditations can be deeper, more profound.  We have the ability to more easily slip our earthly bonds and do spiritual work in the higher realms.

Western society moves at an abominably fast pace.  As

Deva Padma created the marvelous
"OSHO Zen Tarot"©, a deck designed
to lift simultaneously lift the spirit and ground
our emotions

society increases its expectation of our productivity and status, we frequently judge ourselves as falling short of arbitrary guidelines as to who we should be.  We become so caught up in achieving, often only for the act of achievement itself, that we lose sight of what we initially wanted to do with our lives.  During the next VoC ask yourself whose guidelines you've chosen to use - your own, or those manufactured for you on glossy, media pages.

On August 15th at 21 minutes past midnight PST, we will experience the Moon's next Void of Course.  It will last until 10:04 a.m.  Here's your opportunity to begin your quest to find your own guidelines about who you are, what you believe matters above all else and what you truly want to create as your spiritual framework.  Just you and your Creator doing some inconsequential drifting.  Turn off the morning rhetoric and instead, start your day with a mediation.  Take a moment before 10:00 a.m. to just sit quietly in this space in time, on this tiny planet and honor the peace of the void.

LADY ORACLE




COMMON ASTROLOGY ASPECTS  (PLANETS AND/OR MOON)

Term                       Degree or Relationship To Each Other              

Conjunction          approximately on the same degree

Semi Sextile           30 degrees

Sextile                    60 degrees

Square                   90 degrees

Trine                    120 degrees

Opposition           180 degrees